Dental Checkups May Save Lives

Dentists may not tend to associate pneumonia with their patients and dental prospects, but new research suggests that they should. The news is particularly important for elderly people. After the break, I’ll be back to tell you why dental checkups may save more than teeth. Stay tuned.

– I’m Colin Receveur.

– Thanks for watching the Patient Attraction Podcast™.

– It might surprise you to learn that in the U.S., pneumonia has a two percent mortality rate.

– Pneumonia is more common in people with impaired immune systems and the elderly, but anyone can contract the infection.

– A large study released in October 2016 analyzed the data from 26,000 people.

– The researchers found a strong connection between the frequency of dental checkups and pneumonia.

– Compared to people who get checkups twice a year, people who never get dental checkups have an 86 percent higher chance of developing pneumonia.

– Checkups appear to prevent harm by reducing the amount of bacteria in the mouth that can be inhaled or aspirated into the lungs.

– Most people tend to think about pneumonia in relation to other people rather than themselves.

– This finding is an opportunity to accomplish three goals with one action.

– First, you can educate your patients and prospects about the risks of pneumonia.

– Second, you can encourage them to share the news with colleagues, friends, and family.

– And third, you can motivate them to get regular cleanings and checkups, which is good for your business as well as your patients.

– The finding that oral health is a determining factor in pneumonia is one more in a growing list of dental-related medical conditions.